#1 of 5 #1 English-language movie of December 1977
1977 · Drama, Romance
$237.1M worldwide · 80% of the chart's total
$94.2M US & Canada · 40% $142.9M elsewhere · 60%
English box office · December 1977
English Box Office, December 1977: Top-Grossing Releases
Saturday Night Fever (1977) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in December 1977, with $237.1M worldwide, ahead of High Anxiety (1977) at $31.1M and The Gauntlet (1977) at $26.4M. 5 English-language films released in December 1977 report a worldwide gross, $295M in all, 52% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 29% on November 1977, whose releases took $417.2M. By genre, Music leads with $237.5M across 3 English releases.
- December 1977 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $295M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs November 1977
- −29%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of December 1977?
Saturday Night Fever (1977) leads with $237.1M, 80% of the total. The top 5 together took $295M, almost all of what the 5 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every English Release of December 1977, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in December 1977.
- 1 Dec 16, 1977 US and Canada: $94.2M Rest of the world: $142.9M Worldwide: $237.1M
- 2 Dec 25, 1977 US and Canada: $31.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.1M
- 3 Dec 21, 1977 US and Canada: $26.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.4M
- 4 Dec 4, 1977 US and Canada: $231.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $231.7K
- 5 Dec 15, 1977 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $144.4K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1977?
Of the top 5, High Anxiety (1977) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Saturday Night Fever (1977) made 60% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $151.9M (52%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 5 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Saturday Night Fever (1977) $237.1M $94.2M US & Canada · 40% $142.9M elsewhere · 60%
- 2 High Anxiety (1977) $31.1M $31.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 The Gauntlet (1977) $26.4M $26.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (1977) $231.7K $231.7K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 ABBA: The Movie (1977) $144.4K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of December 1977 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 11–17) took $237.3M, led by Saturday Night Fever (1977). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 27–Dec 3 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 4–10 Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (1977) $231.7K Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (1977)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 11–17 Saturday Night Fever (1977) $237.3M Saturday Night Fever (1977)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 18–24 The Gauntlet (1977) $26.4M The Gauntlet (1977)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 25–31 High Anxiety (1977) $31.1M High Anxiety (1977)
Earlier years
How Does December 1977 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1973 earned the most: $728.3M from 8 films, led by The Exorcist (1973). December 1977 took $295M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1968 4 films | 4 | $11.7M | – | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) $7.5M |
| December 1969 4 films · +99% | 4 | $23.3M | +99% | On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) $22.8M |
| December 1970 7 films · +855% | 7 | $222.6M | +855% | The Aristocats (1970) $191M |
| December 1971 5 films · −72% | 5 | $63M | −72% | Dirty Harry (1971) $36M |
| December 1972 3 films · +34% | 3 | $84.7M | +34% | The Poseidon Adventure (1972) $84.6M |
| December 1973 8 films · +760% | 8 | $728.3M | +760% | The Exorcist (1973) $430.9M |
| December 1974 6 films · −60% | 6 | $289.8M | −60% | The Towering Inferno (1974) $116M |
| December 1975 5 films · −74% | 5 | $75.2M | −74% | Dog Day Afternoon (1975) $50M |
| December 1976 6 films · +251% | 6 | $263.8M | +251% | A Star Is Born (1976) $80M |
| December 1977 5 films · +12% | 5 | $295M | +12% | Saturday Night Fever (1977) $237.1M |
Archive
English Box Office in 1977, Month by Month
The months of 1977 with their totals: May leads with $903M, led by Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977).
- January $25.9M #1 Freaky Friday (1977)
- February $28M #1 Slap Shot (1977)
- March $22.5M #1 Black Sunday (1977)
- April $38.3M #1 Annie Hall (1977)
- May $903M #1 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
- June $200.2M #1 A Bridge Too Far (1977)
- July $19.1M #1 The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977)
- August $50.2M #1 The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
- September $10.3M #1 Bobby Deerfield (1977)
- October $85M #1 Oh, God! (1977)
- November $417.2M #1 Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
- December $295M #1 Saturday Night Fever (1977)
FAQ
English Box Office December 1977: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 5 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in December 1977?
Saturday Night Fever (1977) leads with $237.1M worldwide, $94.2M of it in the US & Canada. Next come High Anxiety (1977) at $31.1M and The Gauntlet (1977) at $26.4M.
How much did English-language movies released in December 1977 earn?
5 English-language films released in December 1977 report a worldwide gross, $295M in all, or $59M per film on average. November 1977 releases took $417.2M.
How many English-language movies released in December 1977 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Saturday Night Fever (1977) with $237.1M.
How is the December 1977 English box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in December 1977. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact, and so are films whose stored language is most likely wrong.
How often is the December 1977 English box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.